![\"work](\"https:\/\/www.onelegal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/image_blog-digest_man-working-on-the-beach_717x338-13.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
View Original Article At:\u00a0 One Legal | June 21, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n Working long hours at a law\u00a0<\/span>office\u00a0<\/span>means sacrifices, right? Perhaps it\u2019s missing your regular basketball game at the gym or skipping happy hour. Because of this, some law firms make a big effort to compensate and show their appreciation by providing small (and not-so-small) perks in the office. And this is becoming even more important because Millennials\u00a0<\/span>expect<\/span><\/i>\u00a0their employers to provide such amenities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With the changing\u00a0<\/span>priorities<\/span>\u00a0in mind, let\u2019s look at some of the office perks law firm employees say are the most important to them:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n An<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>important criteria<\/span>\u00a0for Millennials who grew up with technology readily available<\/span>: t<\/span>hey want to be able to leverage that technology in their work, which means working<\/span>\u00a0from home. Jackson Lewis launched th<\/span>e firm\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Flexible Workplace Policy<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in 2017<\/span>, and many other law firms have followed suit.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Read more:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Working from home: a guide for legal professionals>><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Employees want to have 24-hour access to an on-site gym and weekly trainer-led workout sessions.\u00a0<\/span>Allen & Overy<\/span><\/a>\u00a0attorneys at some offices have a 24<\/span>\u2013<\/span>hour gym, fitness classes, a dance hall, and music rooms!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Others get gym memberships.\u00a0<\/span>Jones Day<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Linklaters<\/span><\/a>\u00a0also provide gyms and fitness facilities with all the accoutrements.\u00a0<\/span>Hogan Lovells<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in Washington, DC has a fitness center on the\u00a0<\/span>first\u00a0<\/span>floor of its building, and membership is free for the firms\u2019 employees.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are very few employees\u00a0<\/span>in any industry\u00a0<\/span>who don\u2019t like free food.\u00a0<\/span>Bryan Cave<\/span><\/a>\u00a0starts the\u00a0<\/span>workday<\/span>\u00a0off with a free cereal bar. Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC has a\u00a0<\/span>firm cafeteria<\/span><\/a>\u00a0called 1904, named after the year the firm was founded. The firm\u00a0<\/span>provides big discounts on the\u00a0<\/span>food, so an employee can get a\u00a0<\/span>nice<\/span>\u00a0meal for five bucks.<\/span>\u00a0Free snacks are found in almost all law firms.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This might surprise you, but employees believe that access to\u00a0<\/span>natural light and views<\/span><\/a>\u00a0improves their overall happiness and well-being (78%), work satisfaction (73%), work performance (70%) and organizational commitment (54%). In contrast, the absence of natural light and windows\u00a0<\/span>makes 47% of employees to feel tired or very tired, and 43% to feel gloomy. Who needs a\u00a0<\/span>G<\/span>loomy Gus when you\u2019ve got a\u00a0<\/span>closing argument after lunch<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Bringing\u00a0<\/span>Fido to the office<\/span><\/a>\u00a0can actually\u00a0<\/span>help relieve stress,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>force you to take breaks<\/span>, which means taking a time-out\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0that depo to walk the dog.\u00a0<\/span>This may not be an option in some larger cities, but\u00a0<\/span>solo offices<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in smaller communities have embraced the idea<\/span>\u00a0for several years<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, you read that right.\u00a0<\/span>But, the t<\/span>ruth is,\u00a0<\/span>employers find that\u00a0<\/span>most employees are taking roughly the same amount of days off<\/span><\/a>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>they would have\u00a0<\/span>with a traditional time off policy.\u00a0<\/span>Even so<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>unlimited\u00a0<\/span><\/i>just sounds\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>r<\/span>azy! However, large law firms\u00a0<\/span>Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and Susman Godfrey already provide this!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Is that last option seeming like a bridge too far?\u00a0<\/span>Perhaps as a compromise, your firm might consider what\u00a0<\/span>Fenwick & West<\/span><\/a>\u00a0does<\/span>: t<\/span>hey offer all associates a one-week trip to Hawaii for two each year, with flights and condo<\/span>\u00a0included<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Okay, after unlimited vacation time<\/span>\u00a0and free trips to the Islands<\/span>, let\u2019s take a breath and relax. Perhaps something a little less drastic\u2014and\u00a0<\/span>definitely calmer<\/span>\u2014is a free massage or a yoga class.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n More law firms are trying\u00a0<\/span>to support\u00a0<\/span>their\u00a0<\/span>employees\u2019 mental and emotional well-being.\u00a0<\/span>This means\u00a0<\/span>weekly massages and yoga classes available during work hours\u00a0<\/span>so that<\/span>\u00a0everyone feels\u00a0<\/span>at ease<\/span>, happy<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and creative throughout the workday<\/span>\u2014<\/span>especially when that seven-day<\/span>\u00a0trial approaches<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Steptoe & Johnson<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is one firm that has\u00a0<\/span>vinyasa<\/span><\/a>, but no word if they offer\u00a0<\/span>ho<\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0yoga<\/span><\/a>!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These days, this one\u2019s pretty much a given. The\u00a0<\/span>Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Survey<\/span><\/a>\u00a0by the Diversity and Flexibility Alliance\u00a0<\/span>a few years back\u00a0<\/span>found that 26 of 28 large law firms surveyed have flexible work policies. For example, Baker McKenzie\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>bAgile<\/span><\/a>\u00a0program, launched in March 2017, offers flexible options for all its\u00a0<\/span>employees.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Munger\u00a0<\/span>Tolles<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>touts i<\/span>ts<\/span>\u00a0on-site\u00a0<\/span>child care<\/span>\u00a0center in Los Angeles and the backup care options available to all firm employees<\/span>. The firm\u00a0<\/span>subsidized\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>back-up care program through\u00a0<\/span>Bright Horizons<\/span><\/a>, which can be used up to 20 times per year, per child or relative needing care.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWorking remotely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Exercise\u00a0<\/span>o<\/span>ptions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Free food<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Access\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>n<\/span>atural\u00a0<\/span>l<\/span>ight and\u00a0<\/span>v<\/span>iews<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Pet<\/span>\u2013<\/span>friendly environment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Unlimited<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>v<\/span>acation\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>ime<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Free\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>rips<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Massages and yoga<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Flexible office hours<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Day<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>care<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n